With the conclusion of the Indo-China truce, the world was without an international war for the first time in 23 years-years that had witnessed the overthrow of empires, the rise and fall of great leaders, the slaughter of millions, and a revolution in the means of making war. No comparable period in the history of the world had seen such great changes in so short a time.
With the advent of peace, there was a relief from war weariness, but no great rejoicing, for satisfaction was tempered by the stark realization that an even greater catastrophe hovers over the world. Tensions are in almost every quarter of the globe, any one of which might ignite a terrible holocaust. Never before have the arsenals of the nations bulged with munitions of war as at present, and such weapons whose capacity for destruction is frightful to contemplate. Suspicion and mistrust is rife among international leaders.
No, this is not the time for "peace on earth." Real peace will not come until the "Prince of Peace" reigns, but before that glorious day comes there will be more "wars and rumors of wars." The prophecy of Joel is yet to be fulfilled. "Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong." Joel 3:9, 109Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: 10Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. (Joel 3:9‑10).
It is not even the time for the false peace on earth when "they shall say, Peace and safety" just before sudden destruction overtakes them (1 Thess. 5:33For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:3)). No sensible statesman today would think of proclaiming that an era of "peace and safety" had arrived. They have not even a plan for a strong balance of power that will ensure any international stability. All that is expected now is a time of tension and an uneasy truce while an effort is being made to live peaceably with the communist nations. This is being called a trial at "peaceful coexistence," or a "modus vivendi" way of getting along with each other.
Some of the more hopeful statesmen only say that this should be given a good trial.
This attempt at "peaceful coexistence" is basically an acceptance on the part of the Western world of all the conquests of Russia and the forces of communism. This is a tremendous psychological gain for them, for in the past 15 years they have swallowed up Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Rumania, East Germany, East Austria, all of the mainland of China, North Korea, Tibet, and now a substantial part of Indo-China. In all, they have brought 600 million people under their control and 5.5 million square miles of territory in that short span, until today they dominate one fourth of the earth's land surface and one third of its population.
Western acquiescence in this great conquest will give Russia and China an opportunity to absorb and organize their gains before again reaching out for new territory-not that they will cease efforts to infiltrate and conquer nations from within while talking "peaceful coexistence." A few lines from the will of Peter the Great (an ambitious tyrant who laid down many plans for Russian expansion), who died in 1725, will perhaps explain the present experiment: "The Russian nation must be constantly on a war footing, to keep soldiers warlike and in good condition. No rest must be allowed, except for the purpose of relieving State finances, recruiting the army, or biding the favorable moment for attack. By these means peace is made subservient to war, and war to peace, in the interest of the aggrandizement and increasing prosperity of Russia."
It is certainly most unlikely that acknowledging the right of the great bear to the prey will change the bear's nature, or lessen its voracious appetite. Will it not rather embolden it to try for more spoil at the time of its choosing?
Seventy-five to one hundred years ago, godly men who understood their Bibles applied Isa. 33:11Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee. (Isaiah 33:1) to Russia. That was long before Russia's greatness, and before communism was more than an idea. "Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee." The reason for the assigning of this portion to Russia is its position in the book of Isaiah, for in the 31St chapter the Assyrian (or head of the Arab world) meets his doom; then in the 32nd chapter, the King reigns in righteousness; then in chapter 33 another foe is mentioned, and the only foe who will come against Israel after Christ reigns is Russia, who will come down against them after they have returned to their land and are "dwelling safely" (see Ezek. 38 and 39).
The present attempt at a "modus vivendi" for living in peace with the Communists will tend to retard the efforts to rebuild the Roman Empire -that Western European alliance. It will seem less urgent when peace is talked; nevertheless, the groundwork has been laid and Western nations more or less conditioned to sacrifice some national sovereignty to a super-state as a matter of sell-preservation in a crisis. It will only take an occasion to revive the scheme, and perhaps it may come back with vengeance through some overt act of aggression by Russia or her satellites. At any rate, we know the Word of God is true; everything is in readiness for the revival of that Western power, and the appearance of the Beast to head it up and cause the wonder and admiration of the world. Then will come the time when men will think they have achieved a lasting peace, and will say, "peace and safety," only to find that sudden destruction shall come upon them, and they shall not escape.
And what about us who belong to Christ? We should neither be disturbed by the commotion of the nations nor deceived by their soft words and assurances. We know that Satan is the god and prince of this world, and that the whole world lies in the wicked one (1 John 5:1919And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. (1 John 5:19); J.N.D. Trans.). If Abraham looked forward to a heavenly city and a portion outside of this world, how much more should we who have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ, and are to be His joint heirs when He takes over the dominion that is rightly His.
Soon, very soon, we shall hear His voice and see His face, and be forever with Him. while is to glorify Him, while Our business in the mean- we rejoice in His love.
"Called from above, and heavenly men by birth,
(Who once were but the citizens of earth)
As pilgrims here we seek a heavenly home,
Our portion, in the ages yet to come.
"Where all the saints of every clime shall meet,
And each with all shall all the ransomed greet,
But oh! the height of bliss, my Lord, shall be
To owe it all, and share it all, with Thee.
"We are but strangers here, we do not crave
A home on earth, which gave Thee but a grave;
Thy cross has severed ties which bound us here,
Thyself our treasure in a brighter sphere."